The History of Béarnaise Sauce

Béarnaise sauce is descended from one of the French “mother sauces,” Hollandaise. It is named after the Béarn region of France, but it did not originate there. Béarnaise sauce was created by a French chef named Jules Collinet (also known as Jean-Louis Françoise-Collinet) in 1836. Collinet was the chef at a restaurant on the outskirts of Paris. It was located in the former residence of the former French king, Henry IV. In fact, Collinet named the restaurant Le Pavillon Henri IV (interestingly, it is still open today). When he created the new sauce derived from the classic Hollandaise, he decided to name his creation after Henry IV’s birthplace of Béarn. Some sources also cite Collinet himself as having been born in Béarn. Collinet’s sauce soon became popular in Paris as well as in other parts of France. Today, Béarnaise sauce is still served as a flavorful accompaniment to steak and other proteins in French cuisine.